


They're Only Children

by hastalastagimmeeyourpasta (haetalie101)



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Child Neglect, Depression, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, Neglect, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, i'm sorry??, the adults are all kinda mean??, this may be fixed later??
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-26 08:04:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9874973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haetalie101/pseuds/hastalastagimmeeyourpasta
Summary: Truth be told, the micronations are all neglected in some way. Maybe that’s why they’re all so close. They can see the pain of the others, the pain elder countries don’t see because of their assumptions. Haven’t they ever heard the saying about those?or,the fic I started on a whim and constantly cry over.





	1. Prologue-Peter

**Author's Note:**

> i'm??? sorry?? This is really sad?? I just felt like crap when i started it and then i became really enthusiastic about it?? 
> 
> A lot of it is formed off of my personal headcanons.
> 
> The next chapter will be uploaded tomorrow. I'm actually ahead in writing the chapters for once?? Wow???
> 
> Come scream with me about this fic and also my smol children, the micronation at dewdropsandroses.tumblr.com!

“You’re only a child!” He yells. “What could you possibly know?!”

Deep in his heart, Peter knows he’s right. He’s only a little boy. He doesn’t know the things the older nations know. 

Still, it irks him how they underestimate him and his friends. They’ve gone through hard times too and the other countries should recognize this. 

Truth be told, the micronations are all neglected in some way. Maybe that’s why they’re all so close. They can see the pain of the others, the pain elder countries don’t see because of their assumptions. Haven’t they ever heard the saying about those?

He honestly has the better deal out of all of them. He has ‘parents’ who adore him and a couple of attentive uncles. Sure, the other countries all roll their eyes when he tells them of his dream of being an actual recognized country, even his parents smile and laugh as if that is only a childhood dream that he’ll grow out of. But at least he has them. His life is better than his friends.

Better than Ladonia’s, who vies for Peter’s father’s attention, sometimes even his uncles’, and is simply turned away and left behind, wondering what made Peter so much better than him. 

Better than Seborga’s, who has two brothers who should be checking on him at the very least and physically present most days of his life at most and yet is left alone in his large empty house almost every day. 

Better than Wy and Hutt River’s, who are left with their older brother who pays more attention to their other older brother than them and have to struggle to comfort each other when their attempts for attention backfire on them. 

Better than Molossia’s, who is left out in the desert by himself where it is sososo hot on most days, he can barely breathe. 

Better than Kugelmugel’s, who is kept at arm’s length from his ‘father’ and feels so alone now that his leader is gone. 

Most days, Peter wants to scream. It’s not fair! They never really asked to exist. If they could have chosen to exist in this world, he’s sure they all would have chosen not to. He wishes they could get out in the way that Nikoniko had, who lives his life as a human now, but he knows their guardians would have a fit. 

Life really isn’t fair sometimes and he knows this. He just wishes that Life could make exceptions once in awhile.


	2. Will It Ever Get Any Easier?-Lars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Dad, can Lars stay and eat with us? He can go home right after.” Peter asked hopefully.
> 
> “‘m afraid not. This is a family dinner.” And he isn’t family. He hadn’t actually said the words, but, somehow, that made it all the worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is?? Really sad?? I'm sorry???
> 
> Sweden is kind of a dick in this. The adults may be redeemed later, but I'm not sure...
> 
> As always, please come talk to me about this fic and others on my blog, dewdropsandroses.tumblr.com!

Honestly, Lars used to hate Peter. He had blamed the other boy for Sweden ignoring his existence for so long until he realized that Peter had actually been trying to help him. He had been talking to him in front of his parents on purpose. He’d asked Lars to come over and play at the house where he lived with his family. It hadn’t helped, of course, Sweden- no, Berwald seemed intent on pretending he didn’t exist. But the idea behind it had been kind and Lars had grown to realize that Peter really had nothing to do with it. 

He had only ever been to Peter’s house that time and for good reason. He had actually been having a nice time. They were upstairs in Peter’s room, playing some new video game that he had gotten when it had happened. Berwald had walked into the room. 

“Peter, it’s time for dinner.” He had said without prompting.

“Dad, can Lars stay and eat with us? He can go home right after.” Peter asked hopefully.

“‘m afraid not. This is a family dinner.” And he isn’t family. He hadn’t actually said the words, but, somehow, that made it all the worse. 

Lars pulled himself up out of the beanbags set up in front of Peter’s TV and grabbed his coat off the bed. “That’s fine. Wouldn’t want to be part of your family anyway.” He glared, gripping his coat tightly.

He walked past Berwald, looking him in the eyes, trying to convey as much hatred as he could in his glare, which was hard considering that he didn’t actually hate him. He stopped in the doorway and glanced back at Peter, feeling tears burn in his eyes. You tried, he mouthed to him, trying to assure him that he didn’t blame him. 

His bottom lip trembled as he walked down the stairs, not looking at the adults all sitting at the dining table. Nobody cared what happened to him, anyways. He walked out the door, stopping after he had closed it and, as hard as he tried not to, let out a sob. 

You baby! A voice in his head yelled at him. Can’t even handle a few harsh words. Tch, you make me sick. 

Lars hastily scrubbed at his eyes and continued walking home. It actually wasn’t that far a walk. He was a micronation of Sweden, no matter how much he tried to deny it, and so, his home was in that country. 

He walked into the house and was hit immediately by the sad undertones of all of the dark and empty rooms. This wasn’t like Peter’s house at all. That house- no. That home was bright and colorful and cheery. He glared at the ground and walked down the hall to his room. Shedding off his coat without turning on the lights, he dropped it on the ground and crawled into bed. 

Curling around his pillow, he finally let the tears he’d been holding in out. His body shook with sobs as he thought with finality, No one will ever love me.

He wishes he could say it got easier after that, but he’d be lying if he did. In truth, it didn’t get easier. It only seemed to get worse. 

He assumed that, since he understood that nobody really cared about him, it’d be easier, but, no matter how much he tried to accept that fact, he just couldn’t. Deep down, he didn’t think he ever would.


	3. If Only You Would Listen...-Romeo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romeo wondered what life would be like if he and everyone he knew were humans. Instead of laying on the couch like this, maybe he would be at school, talking to his friends and groaning about his teachers. Maybe he’d be on a sports’ team, like basketball or football. He might have a boyfriend or girlfriend, or just a crush, though he already had one of those. And maybe, just maybe, his brothers would actually notice him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again?? really sad??? I love Sebo so much, though, and I'm pretty sure now that I will redeem the adults/guardians for the sole purpose of having Lovino and Feli hug him??? 
> 
> Also, the title of this chapter comes from School of Rock: the Musical. It's a really good song and I feel like it fits this chapter a lot...
> 
> Also I shamelessly put one of my OTPs in here. I don't give a shit.
> 
> Please come talk to me about this fic at dewdropsandroses.tumblr.com!

Romeo blinked awake, squinting his eyes at the bright sun in his eyes. He lay in bed for another moment and then crawled out and walked towards the door. 

He calmly walked downstairs, glancing around casually, not actually expecting to see anybody. His brothers hadn’t been home in over a month. Feli was with Germany and he wasn’t even sure where Lovino was.

It’d been three weeks since he’d talked to them and, even then, it had only been a minute long conversation, Lovino calling to ask if he knew where Feliciano was. When he told him he was at Germany’s, Lovino had grumbled about the “damn potato bastard” and promptly hung up. Romeo had stood there for a minute, staring at the wall, the phone still to his ear. Then he had sighed and walked towards the couch. He thought taking a siesta would make him feel better. It didn’t. 

He sighed again and shook his head. No use getting upset about that again. It wasn’t like things were going to change so he better just get used to it. 

He strolled into the kitchen, opening the fridge and sparing a glance inside. Nothing. Oh, well. Not like he was actually hungry anyway.

Walking into the living room, he plopped down onto the couch, grabbing the blanket he’d left on the couch. Curling into a ball, he turned on the TV to some mindless sitcom and dozed slightly. Well, it wasn’t really dozing as much as it was daydreaming. 

Romeo wondered what life would be like if he and everyone he knew were humans. Instead of laying on the couch like this, maybe he would be at school, talking to his friends and groaning about his teachers. Maybe he’d be on a sports’ team, like basketball or football. He might have a boyfriend or girlfriend, or just a crush, though he already had one of those. And maybe, just maybe, his brothers would actually notice him. 

He snorted. He sounded like one of those schoolgirls off of those animes Peter, and secretly Ladonia, watched. Notice me, senpai!

His eyes closed involuntarily and he forced them open again. He had just gotten up and he was already falling back asleep! He struggled to stay awake, but, in the end, lost the battle and drifted back to sleep. 

“Romeo! Where are you?”

“F-fratello?” He recognized the voice, but, in his sleepy haze, could not match a name to the voice. 

“No, idiot. It’s me.” Romeo opened his eyes and shot up at the sight of Noah standing there. 

“N-Noah! What are you-a doing here?” 

“I came to see if you were still alive. Peter’s been calling you all day. He got worried when you didn’t pick up and asked me to check on you.” Noah explained, staring exasperatedly at his best friend. “And to think you were just taking a stupid nap.” 

Romeo raised an eyebrow. “What, you don’t take naps?”

“Some of us actually have work to do.” The Republic of Molossia said, teasing his friend. He expected to a witty retort, but frowned when Romeo only looked down guiltily. “What’s wrong?”

“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong.”

“Really?” Noah said skeptically. “I think I know you well enough to know when you’re upset, idiot.”

“Well… Mio fratelli haven’t been home haven’t been home in a while. But, it’s fine! I’m okay.” He tried to reassure his secret crush.

“Still, they shouldn’t be leaving you home alone like this! You’re their brother and they should at least be checking up on you! They’re at least calling you, right?” 

“Um, well, not exactly.” 

“I’m gonna go hunt those idiots down right now.” Noah turned to do just that, but a hand shot out and stopped him. 

“N-no…” 

“Sebo?” Noah looked at him worriedly. “Romeo?”

“I-I’m okay.” Romeo looked up with tears in his eyes. “They d-don’t need to do any of that. I can-I can take care of myself.” 

Noah sat down beside him and hugged him. “It doesn’t matter if you can take care of yourself or not. It’s the right thing for them to do. They’re your brothers. They’re supposed to take care of you.” 

He pulled away and looked Romeo in the eye. “You don’t deserve to be ignored, Romeo, no matter how old or how capable you are.”

Romeo’s eyes welled up with tears and he buried his face in Noah’s chest. Noah clutched him tighter as he tried his hardest to comfort the boy who had secretly stolen his heart.


End file.
